Page 27 of Sins of the Heart

---

“What’s your name?”

She tried to focus on the question. She was cold. So

cold.

“W-w-what’s yours?” she shot back, but her chattering drained the force of her demand.

“Dagan Krayl.” He tipped his head to the side, waiting.

Perversely, she said nothing.

He shrugged, hunkered down and caught her bound

EVE SILVER

37

wrists. She recoiled from his bloody hands. With an impatient sound, he rubbed them on his jeans, leaving

long, dark smears on the denim that stretched taut over

his muscled thighs.

“Hold still.” He tore the rope.

Toreit. No knife. Just his hands. Inch-thick nylon

rope, and he tore through it as if it was nothing.

Above them, the slimy darksouls danced and

bobbed. Bile crawled up her throat, stinging the back

of her tongue. She fought it, digging her nails deep into

her palms, straining for control.

He was careful not to let the glowing tethers he held

in his right hand touch her skin, but he wasn’t so careful

about the remnants of blood on his fingers; his touch

left a trail, marking her as it marked him.

A monster. A killer.

Marcie’s blood. Marcie’s darksoul.

Now Marcie was dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.

And if Dagan Krayl hadn’t shown up when he did,

it would be Roxy who was dead.

Was she supposed to feel guilty that she was alive?

She didn’t. She was glad it wasn’t her. Fiercely

---